Who makes Vizio?

[Footloose301]

Well.... since I bought a nice tv(A huge leap over the 27" Sharp Tube tv I had), my father has grown to be somewhat jealous because I have an HDTV and he doesn't. So my father is in the market and came back from Beef O Bradys where they've got maybe 15 Vizio LCDs and Plasmas from 37" to 60" and he is impressed with them. Sams Club has the 42" for $980 and 47" LCD for $1470, both 1080P. Seems pretty reasonable and he is a cheap person. They look pretty good in person but haven't heard much about their reliability... so before I tell him to buy one, I want to know who makes them and what people have experienced with them. He'll be getting an LCD because he watches a lot of sports and we don't want the clock or scoreboard to be burned into the screen.

[Blu-Ray Buckeye]

Originally Posted by Footloose301

Well.... since I bought a nice tv(A huge leap over the 27" Sharp Tube tv I had), my father has grown to be somewhat jealous because I have an HDTV and he doesn't. So my father is in the market and came back from Beef O Bradys where they've got maybe 15 Vizio LCDs and Plasmas from 37" to 60" and he is impressed with them. Sams Club has the 42" for $980 and 47" LCD for $1470, both 1080P. Seems pretty reasonable and he is a cheap person. They look pretty good in person but haven't heard much about their reliability... so before I tell him to buy one, I want to know who makes them and what people have experienced with them. He'll be getting an LCD because he watches a lot of sports and we don't want the clock or scoreboard to be burned into the screen.

Whenever I've seen then on display at Sam's they look like absolute dogshizzle. Then again, I've never seeen them with a great source... usually playing 360 games or TV broadcast.

[GoldenRedux]

I have no idea who makes them but I can say this. I've never heard anything bad about them from the average person or anything good about them from the true enthusiast. Take from that what you will.

[ra1024]

I believe Vizio is made out in California and was formed by people from some of the larger TV manufacturers. I'm just going off memory from what I've read here so that may not be accurate. I do have a Vizio 37" and have been very pleased. I bought it last August so I've had it for about a year without any problems. The only issue I've had is that there is a popping noise for a few seconds when you turn it off as some plastic pieces cool and contract. I spoke with their tech support and they said this is normal. I've read where people have reported the newer models don't seem to have this problem.

[clyon]

Google....... That is what it is there for.

http://www.vizio.com/about_us/

[Leo1016]

I have no idea who makes it but, I also was in the market for a 32"-42" LCD screen. I decided to go with the Vizio 32" LCD from Costco.

It has 3Video Inputs, 2 Components, and 2 HDMIs, which is exactly what I was looking for. I was skeptical at first because of its $599 price tag. My first choice was a Samsung 32" LNT-3253H which they just came out with. It had a $1100 price tag. Which is almost half of the Vizio.

I decided to go with the Vizio, seeing as Costco has an incredible return policy and I would return the TV if I was unsatisfied with the picture quality. Turns out, that Costco had changed it 1 week before I purchased the TV to a 3month in store return policy or the 1 year manufactures return policy. Originally, you could return ANYTHING, within ANYTIME and get a refund.

It's been 4 months since I bought the TV and I am not in anyway disappointed. I play XBOX 360 (hooked up with Component) and PS3 blu-ray...just watched Apocalypto last night, awesome movie and everything looks awesome. The blacks and whites look stunning and colors look incredible.

If your father is still sketchy about spending more than $800 on a LCD television set, I think the Vizio is a perfect candidate for him. The 32" is $599, the 37" is $799 and 42" is $1099. I believe Costco is having a sale on the 42" $200 off I think. Good luck and hopefully this was helpful to you.

[Footloose301]

Originally Posted by clyon

Google....... That is what it is there for.

http://www.vizio.com/about_us/

Tried Google, tried AskJeeves, tried your link, doesn't tell me anything. I know Vizio is a third party manufacturer but I can't find anywhere where it says who makes it. Judging by its style or looks rather, I would say Samsung... but thats my theory.

[Blu-Ray Buckeye]

Vizio, Inc. is a corporation on its own making flat panels under their own name. It isn't a subsidiary or joint venture at all to my knowledge. maybe you are thinking of the other cheap HDTV maker Syntax-Brillian (BRLC) who makes Olevia.

[jermwhl]

Originally Posted by Blu-Ray Buckeye

Vizio, Inc. is a corporation on its own making flat panels under their own name. It isn't a subsidiary or joint venture at all to my knowledge. maybe you are thinking of the other cheap HDTV maker Syntax-Brillian (BRLC) who makes Olevia.

So your saying they make there own panels!?

[WriteSimply]

There are not many companies that make their own LCD panels. I believe most are either manufactured by Sony or Samsung but both are in Korea. Then the panels are shipped out to OEMs.

The same I think is true of plasma panels, LCD and DLP chips for RPT/projectors. Not being Korean made but have few manufacturers.

The difference is in the specs specified by the OEMs (response time, size and what what not). The rest of the package are assembled by the OEMs with their own casing, electronics, video processing and final packaging.

You can always try the HDTV out yourself. Bring your BD player over and test it. Make sure you calibrate it first using the same calibration disc and cable you used with your HDTV.


fuad

[Footloose301]

This place claims the tvs are made in Thailand

http://www.plasmatvbuyingguide.com/p...ma_review.html

[jermwhl]

Originally Posted by WriteSimply

There are not many companies that make their own LCD panels. I believe most are either manufactured by Sony or Samsung but both are in Korea. Then the panels are shipped out to OEMs.

The same I think is true of plasma panels, LCD and DLP chips for RPT/projectors. Not being Korean made but have few manufacturers.

The difference is in the specs specified by the OEMs (response time, size and what what not). The rest of the package are assembled by the OEMs with their own casing, electronics, video processing and final packaging.

You can always try the HDTV out yourself. Bring your BD player over and test it. Make sure you calibrate it first using the same calibration disc and cable you used with your HDTV.


fuad

Right. I have a pioneer elite, which I believe Fujitsu makes the panel for.
I think that is what the thread originator is asking. Who makes the panels for the vizio TV's. We know Vizio makes the TV, or at least assembles a bunch of parts made from other companies.

[jimmyz59]

Originally Posted by Footloose301

Tried Google, tried AskJeeves, tried your link, doesn't tell me anything. I know Vizio is a third party manufacturer but I can't find anywhere where it says who makes it. Judging by its style or looks rather, I would say Samsung... but thats my theory.

Okay a tech at dell says the Vizio is an american panel positively......

[JJ]

Originally Posted by GoldenRedux

I have no idea who makes them but I can say this. I've never heard anything bad about them from the average person or anything good about them from the true enthusiast. Take from that what you will.

Couldn't have said it any better.

(wondering why it says in Memoriam up there)

But everyone who owns one swears by them. Those who don't say quite the opposite. I owned one until I upgraded - no complaints at all.

EDIT: Wait a minute, this is a necro-thread. Ten months ago, nice.

[Shinma]

They perform designs out in California, but have pieces of the systems made by a variety of manufactures. Their goal is to put out good value products to consumers, instead of high-end systems. They are very cost conscious, but do actually innovate, instead of the normal model for companies that make cheap products, where they just take a mature design and figure out how to cut corners to make it as cheap to produce as possible. If you aren't particularly demanding in the color accuracy, or possibly some motion artifacts, you will probably find it a good value. If it looks get enough to you in the store with the terrible setting they use for displays, it's probably one of your better bets.

[WickyWoo]

They perform designs out in California, but have pieces of the systems made by a variety of manufactures. Their goal is to put out good value products to consumers, instead of high-end systems. They are very cost conscious, but do actually innovate, instead of the normal model for companies that make cheap products, where they just take a mature design and figure out how to cut corners to make it as cheap to produce as possible. If you aren't particularly demanding in the color accuracy, or possibly some motion artifacts, you will probably find it a good value. If it looks get enough to you in the store with the terrible setting they use for displays, it's probably one of your better bets.

No, they don't

They have offices in California

They're a front company for a Chinese OEM who designs the TVs using the cheapest components available at the time. They're constantly redoing their designs as supplies dry up

There's several threads on here on the subject including 2 posts almost in a row from a guy defending them, and then posting it died on him. Best Buy employees call them "boomerangs" because of how many sets come back DOA within the first month.

[McBain]

Wall Street Journal article on Vizio: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1208...hpp_us_pageone

[actionhank]

This was on the front page of the Wall St. Journal Tuesday:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1208...ys_us_page_one

Not sure if you can access the full article without a subscription so here are some excerpts that might be helpful

But one upstart, Irvine, Calif.-based Vizio Inc., has largely surfed past the industry's woes. Its single focus: churning out low-priced flat-panel TVs.

Vizio chief executive William Wang was prescient. A native of Taiwan and a former marketer of computer monitors, he was struck by a 2002 ad for a $10,000 Philips flat-panel TV. He sensed an opportunity. Rather than sell the sleek sets as luxury items, he figured he could make flat-panel TVs that were affordable to average consumers.

Much of Vizio's success stems from the cozy relationship that Mr. Wang has forged with Taipei-based AmTran Technology Co. AmTran is a contract manufacturer that for years built computer monitors and TVs for companies like Sharp Corp. and Sony. Unlike with those customers, however, AmTran owns a 23% stake in Vizio.

The arrangement gets Vizio preferential treatment. AmTran sometimes swallows shipping costs and pushes component suppliers to ensure Vizio's products are high quality and on time. AmTran now gets about 80% of its revenue from Vizio. In turn, Vizio sources as many as 85% of its TVs from AmTran, according to research firm DisplaySearch.

Vizio may face a shortage of LCD panels. Neither Vizio nor AmTran produce the flat panels themselves, and the companies that make them may hoard them to sell under their own brands.

[WickyWoo]

By "design" they mean the actual TV case

It's standard for the OEM to decide things like the GUI and the box it's being put in. The guts are still the same old crap that goes into 50 different brands all over the world

Mark my words: In 2001 they were writing the same articles about Apex and Cyberhome. That is, before they were sued into oblivion for non-payment of royalties

[JJ]

Originally Posted by McBain

Wall Street Journal article on Vizio: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1208...hpp_us_pageone

Great article. One minor complaint though.

Mr. Wang says Vizio plans to further diversify its product portfolio into TVs made from plasma panels and may also expand into Blu-ray DVD players.

Drives me crazy when they do that.